Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-29
DESTRl GIVE FIRE.
EXTENSIVE OH AND FERTILIZER
WORKS AT RALEIGH BURNED.
other Property Endangered The Loss and
Insurance church Durned-eene.
raj aevs Notes.


especial telegram 20 the Dlsphichl
RALEIGH, y. c., March %, 1897.
AZ 7:30 O'Clock yesterday morning
the fire. alarm was given here, and in a
few moments clouds OF smoke arose
from the Raleigh coiton-sced oil and
fertilizer mills. in the southwestern sec
ton of the city and very near the Cen
tIal depot. . he mills, with warehouses
and storage-sheds for cotton-seed, burn
cd very rapidly. The supply of water
WAS miserable, the engines rapidly eX-
hausting the cistcrns near by. The
buildings. with al their contents, were
totally destroyed in two hours, save n
large brick warehouse completed only
a few months since, which was saved,
with q quantity OF cOttOn-seed meal
and fertilizer in sacks. The buildings
were all OF brick, save the seed storage
sheds. They were erected in 1874 and
1886. The mills were started in 1893,
and employed about eighty persons.
They nan night and day. The machine
~ was of q high class, 0nd the mills
were, with the exception OF those at
Columbia, S. c.. the best IN the South.
Last autumn the mills passed under the
ownership and control of the Cotton
Seed OIL Trust, which had since ope-
rated them 10 their full capacity--seyen-
~ tons of fertilizer and 2, 400 gallons OF
oil daily. The fire is supposed 10 have
originated in the engne-roOm.
Mr.. w. II. Upchurch. the president
of the company, told your correspond
cnt that the loss was about $50. 900, the
value of the warehouse and contents
saved being SlC,0O0 The insurance,
he says, is S35, 900, Of which $22,300 is
in Raleigh agencies and $4,000 in
New York agencies. The heaviest loss
is in machinery. which is utterly ruined.
The capacity of the mills was doubled
last season. Mr. Upchurch says the
loss falls upon the Oil Trust. He
states that beyond all doubt the mills
will be at once rebuilt, and very proba
bly, enlarged, in time for next seasons
business.
The fire was so fierce that the North
Carolina railroad property was IN dan
ger. Warehouse roofs were on fire, but
were extingu%hed. The shuttle-block,
bobbln. and spool-factory narrowly es-
capped destruction. Jones d Powell's
warehouses were on fire but were saved.
A clearinghouse belonging to the lat
ter firm was burned, causing a loss of
81, 200, with $500 insurance. A portion
of the sheds, wherein was stored cot
tOn-seed meal in bags, fell upon some
colored fremen and injured four of
them-Jordan Brooks, Norfleet JEFF
frevs, George Brewer, and Frank Mil
lken. All were painfully burned, cut,
and bruised. The first-named was dug
out of the ruins, and was so dreadfully
burned that his face lookedquite white.
He was also nearly scalped. The heat
of the fire warped the railway tracks
and burned the ties near by. Had
there been any wind all the depot pro-
pcrty would have been destroyed. The
following is o correct list of the in
eurancc placed by tue Raleigh agency
Virginia Fire and Marine, $3.50;
North British and Mercantile, 81, $50;
Washington, $3.50; HibcrniG, 81, 500;
Mercantile, $3.50; Southern, $l.50O;
North Carolina Home, 81, $50; Roches-
ter German, $1,000; Pelican, $3.50;
German American, 81, 900 Springfield,
81 800 Western Assurance, 81 900
RAILWAY NEWS.
The Charleston, Cincinnati and Chi
cago railroad has extended its line TO
Rutherfordton, and, it is said, viii III a
few days put on passenger trains.
Near Henderson last week some I'M
known person placed distractions on
the track of the Raleigh and CASTOR
railroad. The superintendent of that
road offers $500 reward for the dis
covery Of the man who did the deed.
The defeat of the proposition for the
subscription 10y New Hanover county of
SlOO. 600 10 the Wilmington, Onslow
and East Carolina railway was due to
The policy of inaction, or of staying |
away from the polls. So far as heard
from the vote is 2,253 for and only 102
against the measure. There will no
doubt be another election.
There is some feeling against the
Richmond and Danville, it appears, for
alleged delay in building the line from
-tatcsyille to laylorsyille, and it is said
That if work does not begin this week
the county commissioners will bring
suit against the Richmond and Danyllle
ior failure to keep contract.
over half the railway from Thomas
Vile to Silver Valley is reported to be
The progress made on the Carthage
railway by the convict grading force Is
reported TO be quite rapid.
NEWS NOTES.
Tie Episcopal church just completed |
NJ Snow Hill was dedicated yesterday.
News was received here to-day of the |
burning of the handsome residence of |
J. n. Exum in Nash county. The loss
Nasatotal of both buildingand contents,
md is placed at $j,000-with no in
.urance.
The weather here to-day was quitere-
1t was very warm at noon,
but q cold wave came this afternoon.
Tie fall in temperature Was 30.
Governor Scales, who has been indis-
posed for some days, was better to-day.
News Was received to-day OF fire at |
Hickory Saturday night which de- |
,tfoy,d considerable property, on which
iLlc Was no insurance.